Coursera Now Offers 14 Online Degrees

April 03, 2019

With over 40 million users, Coursera is the world’s biggest MOOC provider. While many learners find huge value in individual online courses, the platform also offers entire degree paths in various subjects. On Tuesday, at their annual Partners Conference, Coursera announced two new degree offerings: a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master of Science in Data Science, both from the University of Colorado Boulder.

The Latest from Coursera’s Partners Conference

This brings the total number of degrees offered by Coursera to 14. Besides the two announced this week, five have come out in the last year.

The Master in Electrical Engineering focuses on bringing learners up to speed in order to become a competitive professional in the industry and also includes a unit on photonics. The Master in Data Science, meanwhile, marks a less-standardized offering. It combines data and computer science with geospatial analytics and natural-language processing.

There are no prerequisites for enrolling in either of the two new degrees. Instead, learners will be asked to establish sufficient competency in the subject matter of each degree. The electrical engineering pathway is expected to accept its first cohort in 2019, while the Master in Data Science is still under development.

Two New Offerings from the University of Colorado Boulder

“The MS-EE and MS-DS are driven by the University of Colorado Boulder’s vision to innovate education, shape tomorrow’s leaders, and deliver impactful programs to the globe. With performance-based admissions, an entirely modular curriculum, and stackable credentials, the degrees also return to Coursera’s original mission of educational access for a new global economy,” said William Kuskin, Vice Provost and Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at the University of Colorado Boulder. “These programs lead us into the future of education. Together with Coursera, we can change the world.”

Also at the Partners Conference, Coursera unveiled an expansion of their MasterTrack program. The service compiles different courses that can be applied as credits toward a degree and tracks credentials one has earned. As announced on Tuesday, it will soon include a Spatial Data Analysis and visualization credential from the University of California, Davis.

As Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda wrote in a blog post, “Coursera is also committed to providing a variety of higher education pathways to meet the diverse needs and goals of every learner. At this year’s Partners Conference, we announced an expansion of our MasterTrack™ program portfolio, including a Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization MasterTrack™ program from the University of California, Davis* that is in active development. Coursera’s MasterTrack™ program breaks portions of master’s programs into modules, so students can earn a university-issued credential online at a breakthrough price. Students who complete a MasterTrack™ program and are admitted into the university’s related master’s program can have their progress count towards the degree.

Subject to Final Approval

“In an era of rapid change and evolving skills, degrees and credentials are key to career advancement. We look forward to continuing to work with our world-class partners to build high quality, flexible, and affordable degrees and credentials of the future.”

While the Master of Electrical Engineering is set to go, the Master in Data Science is still subject to final approval from the University of Colorado. Likewise, the Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization MasterTrack is still in the works and requires final approval from UC Davis.